On the Administration of the Criminal Code, in England.

Cottu's Classic Work on the English Criminal Courts Cottu, [Charles] [1778-1849]. On the Administration of the Criminal Code, in England, and the Spirit of the English Government. [Translated Exclusively for the Pamphleteer]. Vol. XVI, No. 31. London: [Printed by A.J. Valpy], 1820. 152 pp. Octavo (8" x 5-1/4"). Disbound. Moderate toning, light foxing to first few leaves, small, gradually diminishing worm track to upper left corner of text block, no loss to legibility, first leaf, which has a small tear to its lower inside corner, starting to separate but secure. $250. * First edition in English. Cottu was a counselor of the Royal Court of Paris and Secretary-General to the Royal Society of Prisons. In 1820 he was sent by his government to observe the English criminal courts. He returned with a vivid description of a system that had changed little since the days of Coke and Pulton. As Langbein describes it, "the whole of the criminal trial was expected to transpire as a lawyer-free contest of amateurs. In cases of felony., the prosecution was also not represented by counsel. The victim of the crime commonly served as the prosecutor." Just as Blackstone summarized the common law on the cusp of its transformation by modern capitalism, Cottu described a system of criminal procedure that was about to be transformed into the system we recognize today. This English translation was originally published in the Pamphleteer, a periodical collecting notable pamphlet literature of the day that often featured original titles or translations. It was reissued as a book in 1822 with the title On the Administration of Criminal Justice in England. The first edition is rare. OCLC locates 10 copies, 5 in North America, 3 in law libraries (Library of Congress, Ohio State University, Villanova). Langbein, The Origins of Adversary Criminal Trial 11. (Cottu is noted as one of Langbein's primary sources.).…